Sports in North East England

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﻿﻿﻿﻿About Sports in North East England

Sports have always been very popular in North East England and the region is proud of both its sportspeople and venues, many of which can rival the best of their kind in the country. There are many opportunities in the region to engage in a variety of sport activities both actively and as a spectator.

The world’s most popular sport is also extremely popular in North East England. The region may not have as many Premier League teams as other England’s regions but it has two very successful clubs both of which have took the Championship titles and both of which are currently playing in the Premier League – Newcastle United F.C. and Sunderland A.F.C. Newcastle United ended the 2011-12 season as 5th, while Sunderland was a little bit less successful, ending the season as 13th.

The sport that is most often associated with Scotland has a rich tradition in the North East as well. History of golf in North East England of course cannot compare to that of Scotland but its golf courses can rival some of the finest ones not only in England but the entire UK. Gems such as Seaton Carew, Brancepeth Castle and Rockliffe Hall in County Durham can satisfy even the most demanding golfers. Another jewel in North East England is the Close House’s Colt course in Northumberland. It opened only in 2011 but it immediately came to the list of 100 best golfer’s destinations in the UK.

Just like the rest of England, the North East is very much into cricket that has been enjoyed here since the Elizabethan era. Two cricket clubs from the North East form the County cricket – Yorkshire and Durham, both of which won the County Championship titles, Yorkshire as many as 31. Durham County Cricket Club can’t commend itself with as many titles but it was granted the first-class status only in 1992. Yorkshire, on the other hand, is competing in the County Championship since its constitution in 1889.

It may not attract as many spectators as football and cricket but it is a very popular sport throughout the region also thanks to the successes of North East foremost athletes. Some of the greatest names of North East athletics include the distance runner Jim Alder, the legendary Brendan Foster who also founded the Great North Run, Steve Cram who dominated the running scene in the 1980s and more recently, Chris Tomlinson who won Silver medal at the 2008 World Indoor Championships and Bronze at the 2010 European Championships.

Horse racing has a long tradition in the North East, dating back to at least the early 17th century. It remains a popular sport, while the venues attracting most spectators include the Redcar Racecourse, Ripon Racecourse, Thirsk Racecourse, Newcastle Racecourse and Sedgefield Racecourse, to mention only a few.